Heater won't start even tho flame icon is flashing

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run53

LifeTime Supporter
May 4, 2010
410
I usually have trouble getting my Raypack 366A started after a long winter but this year I have encountered a problem I've never seen before. Usually it's the Pressure Switch is stuck, or I have air in the lines and eventually get ILO (Ignition lockout). Eventually it starts up. But not this year.

Hoping someone on the forum has seen my new issue and might know some troubleshooting tips for it. Basically, when I turn the unit on, I get the CFH, then SPK and after a couple of cycles of sparking, the flame icon indicates that the unit is heating. However, the unit has not actually fired up....

My propane tank level is below 20% and I'm wondering if that level is too low to get enough fuel pressure to the unit. But in that case, I would expect the controller to think that it actually fired up and thus start the flame icon.
Anyone ever see this behavior before?
 
Fill up your propane tank before you dig too deeply into this problem.
 
Well......I was hoping filling the tanks would solve this but no such luck.

After filling, the pilot never lights and I get ILO after 90 seconds. Initially, before I filled the tanks, the pilot was lighting (I put a mirror under to see it) but the burners would not ignite. Now the pilot never lights. Tried many times over a few days with no luck. I can hear the clicking of the ignitor trying to light the pilot, but it's almost as if no propane is getting there to ignite. Possible the pilot orifice is clogged? If so, can they be removed and cleaned without removing the entire burner assembly?
 
run53 said:
Well......I was hoping filling the tanks would solve this but no such luck.

After filling, the pilot never lights and I get ILO after 90 seconds. Initially, before I filled the tanks, the pilot was lighting (I put a mirror under to see it) but the burners would not ignite. Now the pilot never lights. Tried many times over a few days with no luck. I can hear the clicking of the ignitor trying to light the pilot, but it's almost as if no propane is getting there to ignite. Possible the pilot orifice is clogged? If so, can they be removed and cleaned without removing the entire burner assembly?
Click to expand...
Was a gas cock at the heater closed when the tank was filled? When the pilot DID light did the sparking stop? Burner tray has to be removed to get to the pilot burner. Possibly a clogged orifice there. Be very careful, the orifice is very tiny and making it larger by cleaning means it would have to be replaced. The orifice will/can fall out if the pilot tube is removed.
 
run53 said:
I usually have trouble getting my Raypack 366A started after a long winter but this year I have encountered a problem I've never seen before. Usually it's the Pressure Switch is stuck, or I have air in the lines and eventually get ILO (Ignition lockout). Eventually it starts up. But not this year.

Hoping someone on the forum has seen my new issue and might know some troubleshooting tips for it. Basically, when I turn the unit on, I get the CFH, then SPK and after a couple of cycles of sparking, the flame icon indicates that the unit is heating. However, the unit has not actually fired up....

My propane tank level is below 20% and I'm wondering if that level is too low to get enough fuel pressure to the unit. But in that case, I would expect the controller to think that it actually fired up and thus start the flame icon.
Anyone ever see this behavior before?
Click to expand...
The RayPak has two flame icons that show. At call for heat there is a stationary flame, at heating (when the pilot flame is sensed and the main valve opens) there is a flickering outline around that. If you are getting that and there is no actual heat, look on the circuit board for something that may have caused a short. May have to look on both sides. Had that happen to a customer. A lizard had shorted the board (and lived his last) and the board somehow "thought" the heater was lit. Removed it and all was well.
 
1poolman1 said:
Was a gas cock at the heater closed when the tank was filled? When the pilot DID light did the sparking stop? Burner tray has to be removed to get to the pilot burner. Possibly a clogged orifice there. Be very careful, the orifice is very tiny and making it larger by cleaning means it would have to be replaced. The orifice will/can fall out if the pilot tube is removed.
Click to expand...
Not sure about the gas cock open/closed when filled. I'm thinking I left it open.

Yes, the the pilot DID light, the sparking stopped
 
1poolman1 said:
The RayPak has two flame icons that show. At call for heat there is a stationary flame, at heating (when the pilot flame is sensed and the main valve opens) there is a flickering outline around that. If you are getting that and there is no actual heat, look on the circuit board for something that may have caused a short. May have to look on both sides. Had that happen to a customer. A lizard had shorted the board (and lived his last) and the board somehow "thought" the heater was lit. Removed it and all was well.
Click to expand...
Yes, I was getting the two flame icons when the pilot lit, the outside one was flickering around the inside one. (but now I just get ILO after filling the tank...probably coincidence). I didn't see anything that looked shorted on the board. But as I mentioned, that problem is not happening after filling the tank.
 
run53 said:
Not sure about the gas cock open/closed when filled. I'm thinking I left it open.

Yes, the the pilot DID light, the sparking stopped
Click to expand...
ILO (Ignition Lock Out) is used on a propane heater. After 3 tries the system shuts down so that any gas that pools in the heater and isn't lit can dissipate.
If the pilot lights, the system senses flame, and it stays lit but goes no further in opening the gas valve, test voltage at the gas valve and listen for a "click" it will be the second click as the first one is the pilot valve.
If there is voltage (24VAC) and no click the valve is bad. If there is never 24VAC the problem is in the board. The test is between the MV/PV terminal and the MV terminal.
 
1poolman1 said:
ILO (Ignition Lock Out) is used on a propane heater. After 3 tries the system shuts down so that any gas that pools in the heater and isn't lit can dissipate.
If the pilot lights, the system senses flame, and it stays lit but goes no further in opening the gas valve, test voltage at the gas valve and listen for a "click" it will be the second click as the first one is the pilot valve.
If there is voltage (24VAC) and no click the valve is bad. If there is never 24VAC the problem is in the board. The test is between the MV/PV terminal and the MV terminal.
Click to expand...
Thanks....since the pilot no longer lights, how can I test that gas is actually getting to the pilot ignition? Same leads?
 

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